Chapter 187: Observation Haki That Senses Malice
"Ah...! The… Celestial Dragon… is dead!!!" On Island 1's main avenue, the middle-aged bald man finally cracked under the pressure. His scream jolted the kneeling crowd back to awareness.
"There it is...!"
Everyone turned in horror toward the center of the avenue. There, on the grass, a blood-soaked head—still encased in a bubble—lay in plain sight.
The gruesome scene overwhelmed most minds. Eyes rolled back, and many fainted instantly.
Thump! Thump…! People collapsed one after another. Those who didn't faint were paralyzed with terror, staring in shock, speechless.
Tap. Tap. Tap. Footsteps echoed through the silence. Terrified gazes turned toward the sound—and were gripped by deeper fear.
Down the avenue, five figures—four women and one man—walked slowly toward the massive water tanks. Their appearances were unclear, as if shrouded in a mist.
Crash! Crash! The tanks shattered. Two figures, one large and one small, floated into the air and drifted toward the man.
"What… did this man do?" both Princess Akatsuki and little Shouji wondered in unison.
Around them, the Celestial Dragon's guards stood frozen. But from the CP0 agents' sweat-soaked, twisted expressions, it was clear they were being restrained by some invisible force.
Tap, tap… Akatsuki and Shouji landed in front of Luo Han, staring at him curiously, speechless for a moment.
"Urrrrgh…!" One CP0 agent let out a guttural groan, bulging eyes fixed on Luo Han, lips twitching but unable to speak.
"You're dying to talk?" Luo Han smirked and, with a thought, released the restraint.
"Blue Demon!!" the CP0 agent roared. "This time, the World Government won't let you go! The Celestial Dragons will raise your bounty to the highest level!"
"Heh. That's it? Then goodbye."
Luo Han sneered. With a thought, his psychic energy compressed into razor-thin threads, slicing across the guards' necks.
Szzzzzt! Heads flew one after another. Blood sprayed in every direction—but not a drop landed on Luo Han's group.
"Luo Han, are you alright?" Sister Spoon stepped up beside him, visibly concerned.
Luo Han wasn't usually this violent. He never killed so brutally.
Even Aishi looked at him with a trace of fear. In her mind, Luo Han was someone who clashed with legends like Roger and Garp—she'd never seen him strike down the weak.
Witnessing it up close made him feel unfamiliar to her.
"I'm fine," Luo Han said, shaking his head.
He couldn't explain it. He just loathed the Celestial Dragons and CP0. He could have rescued the mermaid princess and Shouji quietly, but chose to do it openly instead.
Whoosh! Luo Han flew to meet Princess Akatsuki at eye level and said sternly, "I'll save you. But you have to help me find something. Yes or no—just one word, don't waste time."
"Yes," Princess Akatsuki answered immediately, no hesitation.
"Princess—" Shouji began.
"No need to say more. This is my decision," Akatsuki interrupted firmly.
Seeing Shouji still hesitant, Ellis urged, "Luo Han, we need to go. The Navy will be on its way soon!"
"She's right, Lord Luo Han. You killed a Celestial Dragon in front of everyone. The World Government will act!" Sora added, her gaze sweeping the carnage with concern.
"Luo Han…" Aishi whispered nervously.
"Heh, I know. I'm not a slaughter maniac. Don't worry," Luo Han said with a grin.
"Good!" The four women sighed in relief, afraid he'd get lost in bloodlust and refuse to leave. If high-ranking Navy officers arrived, it would be a disaster.
"Let's go. We'll leave Sabaody for now. Sister Spoon, come with us. We'll bring you back once things settle down," Luo Han suggested.
"Alright. Probably best not to stay here for now," Sister Spoon replied with a wry smile. So much for retirement dreams—temporarily postponed.
Luo Han gave her an apologetic smile. Then with a thought, he lifted everyone into the air, soaring toward the coast of Island 20.
"Cole!"
"…Forget it."
Still flying, Luo Han shook his head. Even Kyoka Suigetsu couldn't wake Cole.
With a sigh, he wrapped Cole in a sphere of telekinesis and carried him along.
…
Back on Island 1's avenue, long after Luo Han's group had left, the unconscious crowd slowly stirred.
The scene remained silent. People exchanged confused glances—until someone shouted:
"Run!!!"
Boom! The crowd erupted into chaos. As they fled, a few turned back to look at the bubble-encased head.
Their minds flashed back to the five figures… It had to be them. They'd killed the Celestial Dragon and his guards—and rescued the mermaid princess.
But it was all speculation. No one heard what they said to CP0. Even their faces had remained blurred.
And thus, a mystery was born: Who decapitated a Celestial Dragon?
Years later, the incident would become legend. Though few believed it, some of the older locals of Sabaody would occasionally sneer when seeing Celestial Dragons:
"What's so high and mighty? One of them got his head cut off back in the day."
But no one dared say it aloud. It remained a silent thought.
Only three people correctly guessed Luo Han's identity—and they would one day find him to repay that debt.
Of course, Luo Han had no idea that these three would one day become his top officers.
Now, the group had just reached the ocean shore—and dove straight into the sea.
"Wait! Aren't you Devil Fruit users?!" Shouji panicked.
Heh. Luo Han's group simply smiled.
Splash! All eight of them plunged into the water. Instantly, a hundred-meter-wide telekinetic shield formed, encasing them all.
Whoosh! The barrier shot downward toward the sea floor.
"Hey, do either of you know the way to Fish-Man Island?" Luo Han asked.
"Yes," Princess Akatsuki replied calmly.
"Great. Lead the way. We just need to get close."
With his spiritual sense, Luo Han could detect the island once they were near.
"Understood," Akatsuki said, then turned. "I am Akatsuki."
She pointed to the little mermaid. "And this is Otohime—I call her Shouji."
"Little Chick…?" Luo Han paused, puzzled.
He must've misheard. No way a girl would be named that—even a fish-person. Maybe this world didn't have chickens?
"What is it?" Akatsuki asked.
"…"
Luo Han suddenly frowned. Sister Spoon and the others did too.
From the moment Akatsuki first spoke, something had felt off. No matter what she said, her tone never changed.
Even when asking a question, she spoke like she was making a statement. Strange.
"Do all fish-men talk like you?" Aishi couldn't help asking.
Shouji panicked, blurting out, "No! The princess just… she just…" She trailed off.
Akatsuki calmly explained, "The upper half of my body has been stiff since birth. I can't perform fine movements, so my speech always sounds this way."
"Oh! So that's why. The world really is full of surprises…" the group murmured in awe.
Why five people? Because one was still fast asleep—Cole. That, too, was part of the world's mystery.
"Could Cole be about to break through?" Sister Spoon asked, glancing at Luo Han thoughtfully.
They'd seen it before: Cole would eat, fall into a deep sleep, and wake up much stronger.
"Probably just another boost in physical power," Luo Han replied.
"Must be nice," Aishi pouted. "Sleeping and eating to grow stronger… I'm still the weakest in the group."
Even Sora had surpassed her now—let alone Ellis.
"After we pass that underwater current and fly a bit further, we'll reach Fish-Man Island," Akatsuki said.
Then she asked, "Can I know why you're going there?"
Luo Han thought for a moment. "Originally, we were looking for a fish-man to help us. But since we found you, we'll hide out for a bit, drop Sister Spoon back at Sabaody later, then head to the New World."
Whoosh! The psychic barrier dove into the current.
"Then… may I ask you to help Fish-Man Island in its time of crisis?" Akatsuki asked, a hint of something deeper in her voice. "Captain John and his pirates are attacking. If you'll help, I'll grant you one request—anything."
Hmm… Luo Han frowned, but didn't answer immediately.
He had to wonder—shouldn't Akatsuki and Shouji hate humans?
Human traffickers had never stopped hunting mermaids. They themselves had been enslaved.
Yet neither showed hostility toward Luo Han's group. Even his spiritual sense couldn't detect any trace of hatred.
It was… strange.
"Don't you hate humans?" he finally asked. "Why do you treat us differently?"
Akatsuki didn't answer. Instead, she looked at Shouji. The others followed her gaze.
Shouji stiffened, then said timidly, "My Observation Haki can sense people's malice."
"…Ah! So that's why."
Everyone understood now.
Luo Han and his companions bore no hatred or malice toward fish-men. So naturally, Shouji sensed nothing bad from them.
Even so, to be treated kindly after such trauma impressed Luo Han and the others deeply.
(END CHAPTER)
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